Egypt: Suspected militants kill policeman in Sinai

Egyptian security forces inspect the site of a suicide car bombing on a security headquarters in the southern Sinai town of el-Tor, Egypt, Monday, Oct. 7, 2013. (Mostafa Darwish, Associated Press)

EL-ARISH, Egypt — An Egyptian security official says suspected militants have killed a police officer in the north of the restive Sinai Peninsula.

The official says the attackers opened fire at the policeman as he was walking near his home the city of in el-Arish on Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

For months now, militants in Sinai have targeted security forces. The army has launched a counter-insurgency operation.

The attack came amid stepped-up security measures across Egypt ahead of demonstrations planned later in the day by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of Egypt's 2011 uprising, has been sealed off. Morsi's supporters have repeatedly tried to rally there following the July coup.